Landlords in Test Valley find the cheapest way to reach EPC C

Uncover what’s holding your EPC Test Valley back

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Find your EPC

Enter your postcode in Test Valley, select your Test Valley rental property and your current EPC is instantly pulled from the official government register.

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We reveal what’s holding you back

We analyse your Test Valley rental property and highlight hidden assumptions, missing data, and low-impact areas automatically.

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See exactly how to improve it

Test upgrades in real time and discover the cheapest route to EPC C for your Test Valley rental.

find your epc Test Valley

Remove the guesswork. No unnecessary upgrades. Just a clear route to compliance Test Valley.

Why this matters now for Test Valley landlords

Two changes are coming — and together, they make timing critical.

EPC Assessor Test Valley

The rules are getting harder

The current EPC system (RdSAP 10) is being replaced by the Home Energy Model (HEM), rolling out late 2026. The same property is likely to score lower under HEM — making EPC C harder and much more expensive to achieve. In Test Valley, where the average poor-rated rental property SAP scores just 57.5, that gap will be even harder to close under the new methodology.

The law arrives in 2030

From 2030, rental properties below EPC C may not be legally let - putting rental income at risk. Right now, 238 rental properties in Test Valley are below that threshold. That's 30.09% of all rental stock in the Test Valley area that could become unlettable without action.

Act now and secure your grandfather rights

Achieve EPC C under today's rules and your rating is typically valid for 10 years - meaning you lock in compliance before the methodology changes. In Test Valley, 176 properties are rated EPC D and are just a few points away. Many could get there through evidence alone, without major retrofit work.

Lock In Now

Get to EPC C now before it gets harder → keep that rating for 10 years → avoid stricter future requirements.

Most Test Valley landlords don’t realise the goal posts are changing before the deadline arrives.

Uncover the hidden defaults affecting your Test Valley EPC rating

Most EPC certificates rely on "worst-case" assumptions when information is missing - and in Test Valley, those hidden defaults are likely dragging ratings down across 1,141 Test Valley rental properties right now

Defaults penalise your score

When an assessor cannot verify insulation or specific heating controls, the software defaults to the lowest possible performance. In Test Valley, assumed floor defaults are the most common culprit - affecting properties across Test Valley and silently pulling scores below the EPC C threshold. We identify exactly where these assumptions are reducing your rating.

Evidence can help your rating

For houses typical of Test Valley, proving what's already there - loft insulation, glazing records, heating controls - can significantly improve your EPC score without spending anything on physical upgrades. With an average poor EPC score of 57.5 across the area, many properties are closer to EPC C than their certificate suggests.

Small fixes can = big gains

176 rental homes in Test Valley are rated EPC D - just a handful of points from compliance. With our real-time interactive EPC analysis, we show you exactly how upgrades or evidence submissions can move your score, with instant results before you spend a penny.

Landlord EPC Test Valley

We uncover the hidden defaults and turn your Test Valley EPC into a clear action plan

Small changes could push you to EPC C

Try our interactive demo to simulate Test Valley EPC ratings in real time

Estimated EPC Rating
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GFEDCBA
EPC C sits at ~75% of the scale
Low-cost improvements

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Estimated outcome
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Find out whats holding your Test Valley EPC rating back

See exactly what's holding your rating back and how to reach EPC C for the lowest cost - using real data from 791 Test Valley rental properties.

Instant access • Used by Test Valley landlords & agents

EPC insights in Test Valley

We've analysed EPC data from 791 rental homes in Test Valley.

176 Test Valley Rental Homes May Reach EPC C Without Major Upgrades Many landlords may be able to reach EPC compliance with minor evidence-led upgrades rather than expensive retrofit work. 238 poorly rated rental homes in Test Valley are below EPC rating C, representing 30.09% of the latest EPC records. Most are houses in Test Valley, Test Valley, with an average poor EPC score of 57.5.

What this means for landlords in Test Valley

  • 176 Test Valley rental homes are rated EPC D and are just a few points from reaching EPC C.
  • 1,141 Test Valley rental homes rely on assumed defaults, which significantly reduce the EPC ratings.
  • Manual evidence may unlock Band C faster than major retrofit work.
  • Houses dominate poor ratings, so loft insulation, glazing verification, and heating controls are often the biggest wins.
Total latest records: 791
Total below EPC C: 238
Share poor (D-G): 30.09%
Distinct UPRNs: 791
Distinct poor UPRNs: 238
Avg poor EPC score: 57.5

Test Valley EPC rating bands

Band Property Count
C 476
D 176
B 74
E 48
F 11
A 3
G 3

Low EPC rated postcodes in Test Valley

Postcode Below EPC C
SP10 1EH 16
SP9 7TX 7
SO20 6QP 5
SP9 7TN 4
SO51 9LB 4
SO51 8WJ 4
SP5 1NR 3
SO51 8GR 3
SO20 6RN 3
SO20 6BY 3

Landlord EPC questions for Test Valley

238 rental properties in Test Valley are currently rated below EPC C (bands D–G), representing 30.09% of the latest EPC records in Test Valley.

From 1 October 2030, all privately rented properties in England including those in Test Valley must achieve a minimum EPC rating of C to be legally let. Fines of up to £30,000 per property apply for non-compliance. There is a £10,000 cost cap per property on required improvements.

Currently yes — EPC D properties in Test Valley can still be legally let. However from 1 October 2030 the minimum standard rises to EPC C. In Test Valley, 176 properties are rated EPC D and are only a few points from compliance, meaning many could reach EPC C through low-cost evidence or minor upgrades.

For houses typical of Test Valley, the cheapest route is usually to address assumed defaults first — 1,141 properties in Test Valley are affected by assumed floor defaults. Providing evidence of existing insulation or heating controls costs little and can improve the EPC score without physical work. Common low-cost wins include loft insulation certificates, glazing records, and heating control verification.

Most EPC certificates use worst-case assumptions when an assessor cannot verify insulation or heating controls. In Test Valley, assumed floor defaults are the most common cause of artificially low ratings. These assumed defaults can significantly reduce your score even if your property is well insulated. Providing evidence to the assessor — such as installer certificates or photos — can improve the rating without any physical upgrades.

Assumed defaults are worst-case values applied by EPC software when an assessor cannot verify a property's insulation, construction, or heating controls. They are one of the most common reasons EPC ratings are lower than they should be. In Test Valley, 1,141 rental properties are currently affected by assumed defaults — meaning their true performance may be better than their certificate suggests.

The Home Energy Model (HEM) is replacing the current RdSAP 10 EPC methodology from late 2026. Properties are likely to score lower under HEM, making EPC C harder and more expensive to achieve. In Test Valley, where the average poor-rated property scores 57.5, the gap will be harder to close under the new methodology. Landlords who achieve EPC C under today's rules will hold that rating for 10 years, protecting them from stricter future requirements.

Yes — EPC exemptions are available to landlords in Test Valley in specific circumstances. These include a cost cap exemption (if you have spent up to £10,000 and still cannot reach EPC C), a third-party consent exemption (where a freeholder or planning authority refuses permission), and a property devaluation exemption (if improvements would reduce the property's value by more than 5%). Exemptions must be registered on the PRS Exemptions Register and are valid for up to 10 years. Read our full EPC exemptions guide →

Based on the latest EPC records, the postcodes in Test Valley with the highest concentration of below-EPC-C rental properties include SP10 1EH, SP9 7TX, SO20 6QP. Properties in these postcodes are statistically more likely to be affected by assumed defaults or to benefit from targeted low-cost upgrades.

The average EPC efficiency score for poorly rated rental properties in Test Valley is 57.5. EPC C begins at a score of 69, meaning the average below-C property in Test Valley needs to gain approximately 12 points to reach compliance.

Many landlords may be able to reach EPC compliance with minor evidence-led upgrades rather than expensive retrofit work. 238 poorly rated rental homes in Test Valley Council are below EPC rating C, representing 30.09% of the latest EPC records. Most are house in Test Valley Council, Test Valley, with an average poor EPC score of 57.5.

What this means for landlords in Test Valley Council

Total latest records: 791
Total below EPC C: 238
Share poor (D-G): 30.09%
Distinct UPRNs: 791
Distinct poor UPRNs: 238
Avg poor EPC score: 57.5

Test Valley Council EPC rating bands

Band Property Count
C 476
D 176
B 74
E 48
F 11
A 3
G 3

Low EPC rated postcodes in Test Valley Council

Postcode Below EPC C
SP10 1EH 16
SP9 7TX 7
SO20 6QP 5
SP9 7TN 4
SO51 9LB 4
SO51 8WJ 4
SP5 1NR 3
SO51 8GR 3
SO20 6RN 3
SO20 6BY 3

Posttowns in Test Valley Council

Landlord EPC Andover
552 properties · 21.0% below EPC C
Landlord EPC Chilworth
1 properties · 100.0% below EPC C
Landlord EPC Kings Somborne
1 properties · 100.0% below EPC C
Landlord EPC Romsey
213 properties · 37.1% below EPC C
Landlord EPC Stockbridge
57 properties · 63.2% below EPC C
Landlord EPC West Wellow
1 properties · 100.0% below EPC C

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